SW are fantastic guns, just never loved the short hammer pull, again, not what I was used to. It still possesses this capabilityfor good or ill. To the good, it will drive deep into game animals to reach vital organs and effect a quick, humane kill. On average, the .44 and .45 enjoy a modest 300 to 350 fps increases moving up from 4- to 16-inch barrel. You left out the best .357 revolver on the market. Mostly it's concealed but not totally. The only problem with it was the grip was too small. I have to admit though, that a 2.5" barrel is a bit silly. You heard right, similar to almost all magnums you get a twofer with the .357 rifle, which is compatible with the .38. This is using the gun in single action. If they happened to step-up to a revolver magnum, say in a lever-action, many of their complaints might very well evaporate. Thanks for the informative charts on the S&W models and Ill have to check out their 8 round revolver that I didnt know existed! Generally I never shoot the gun in DA, as a matter personal preference and much better accuracy. You can also find some L Frame revolvers that are somewhere between the K and the N in frame size. 158-grain lead SWC handloads, filled with 5.7 grains of Unique. So, if youre looking for a .357 magnum, check out this revolver. Full power .357 Magnum loads push a 125-grain bullet to 1,450 f.p.s. I just still don't understand why they are suddenly worth so much money. Nothing else came close. When not at his press or the range he can be found chasing mule deer around the Rocky Mountains. Used a S&W 6" 686 for years in U.S.P.S.A matches even had a compensator milled in it, the hotter the load the less the muzzle would rise. Preferably the 3" Wiley Clapp version. Reliable. The .357 Magnum has a stellar history as a defensive cartridge. All three were great, just prefer the 44 mag for police work. You arent going to get magnum performance out of most .38 Special ammo. I too have a GP 100 and a S&W 686 Plus. Few, if any, U.S. law enforcement agencies now issue .357 Magnum revolvers, although they remain favored cop backup guns. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. Wesson of firearm manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Winchester. Smith housed this firecracker in the only gun they deemed strong enough, their N-frame which had descended from the New Century Triple Lock. Ive owned a Ruger GP-100 since the late 80s-first handgun I ever purchased and 100% agree with your points on the gun and versatile ammo options in general. Although this is the lightest revolver on the list, the high build quality and excellent shootability are apparent in the K6s. All in all, its an excellent concealed-carry revolver if you want a lot of firepower in a small package. is a great cartridge. But the companys first .357 Magnum revolvers wouldnt show up until 1934. We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared Chiappa Rhino should be on this list. Their Fusion, Power-Shok, and HammerDown lines have been specifically formulated to be potent deer . Ive had a S&W Mod.19 for roughly 35yrs. This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. (DAO104) Outdoorsman Holster for my 4 Ruger Sec Six and it fits great. ALWAYS will be. Another advantageyou can choose to load this gun using an 8-round moon clip. I love my Chiappa Rhino. As with the small frame revolvers, I prefer DA/SA trigger action and stainless steel. Invented in 1934, the cartridge was developed by leading firearm authorities and quickly became the round of choice for revolver enthusiasts, law enforcement and military forces worldwide. I love them. The 357 simply has more muzzle velocity, energy, and better . 10mm generally packs higher muzzle energies thanks in large part to the larger bullets. I have handled some Redhawks in the store: Damned heavy, but certain to survive the thumping they 'impart' to the target when you run out of ammo. If the .357 could talk, it might say to the other rounds, Hey, what took you so long?. A full power 158gr. But I will put them up against any of your listed for accuracy, reliability, looks, and just plain Ol' fashioned "Cool Factor". It really holds it's own when compared to the the big boys (Colt/S&W). That was the last thing I heard for the rest of the day. If I had younger eyes, I could push the distance further. Economy This is somewhat negligible when talking magnum to magnum. My kimber1911,45 ultra carry 2, &metro arms 1911 .45 hard chrome are too big for carrying ideally and my beretta 9mm is to. How powerful is a 357 magnum revolver? - Quora They do, just less dramatically. Simple. My selection for a fine short-barreled .357 Magnum Revolver is the "S&W", Model 686 Plus with a 2.5-inch barrel, with shroud for the ejection rod. Plus, even if you couldnt find any .357 rounds (remember the 2008 2014 ammo shortage? and a colt would not even be on my list. Carried OWB people can definitely notice you have a gun if closely observing or if your jacket opens up a little bit which is why I mention different carry gfuns for different situations. One of Colts most famous revolvers is the 1873 Colt Single Action Army in the Colt .45 caliber. A .357 Magnum revolver with a 6-inch barrel and 7 rounds of full power 158 grain loads (muzzle velocities about 1,540 fps) is also one heck of a self-defense platform. No problems with the 686! My 2nd revolver was a Rhino. Good news, given you can walk into almost any retailer that sells ammunition and find a box of .357 Magnum or .38 Special. Technically, a 357 Magnum is a cartridge used in a revolver, with its bullet diameter measured at 0.357 inches. The best .357 yet and you didn't even find anywhere on your list to put it: Dan Wesson! Allmost every round through them have been full house 357 Mag. Amazingly smooth action. I have a python also bought 30 years ago at about 650.00 ( also bought a security six for about 1/3 of that if I remember right). I did take it in to get cleaned up , but it runs very well . The often over-touted .45 ACP and the omnipresent 9mm Luger generate 350 to 400 ft-lbs., or so, in standard pressure loads. Last Guide to 357 Magnum You'll Ever Need - The Gun Rights The GP-100 is heavier and larger than the SP101, but it helps to stabilize the gun and control recoil. I also owed a Ruger Blackhawk w/6 1/2 barrel. I sure tames the recoil, but I didn't care for the trigger. I can smack pop cans at 100 yards all day long. The price was very affordable too. Something went wrong. I have 3 Dan Wessons in.22, .357, and .44 Magnum. The FBI didnt give up their magnums until late in the 20th century, they proved so effective. Yeah the Smitty is one fine well crafted pistol, BUT my Danny will out shoot it all day long!!! The utility of the .357 Magnum round makes it just as pleasing for experienced shooters. While modern powders enabled the .38 Special to almost double its working pressures, S&W knew they could not trust consumers to differentiate between a standard pressure .38 and the steroid injected version so they lengthened the new rounds case to ensure it could not fit into revolvers chambered for the .38 Special. This is the case with Remington, SIG Sauer, Speer and Winchester ammo. The round is based on the earlier Smith & Wesson .38 Special cartridge and was first designed with a 158-grain semi-jacketed soft point (flat) bullet. Trigger was good out of the box, after about 5,000 rounds it was outstanding! Current specs are around 1200 fps for 158 grain bullets at the muzzle and 1400+ fps for 125 grain loadsquite peppy. They are amazing guns. This longer case makes it impossible to load a .357 Magnum round in .38 Special revolvers. If youre in search of new waders, waterproofitexpert is the ultimate destination for reliable reviews. They can fire.357 caliber rounds at speeds of over 1,200 feet per second. Furthermore, the ammunition selection is excellent and diverse, particularly bullet styles. and (Speed Six in Stainless). It is such a pleasure to shoot I have no problems dumping 200 rounds through 'er during a range session. The best current production available, especially the 5 inch 686 performance 7 shot revolver. No part of the problem is it's a rimmed cartridge which makes autoloading from a straight mag not as reliable. But dont think its strictly for novices and the sensitive. I mean absolutely no disrespect toward your decisions,heck I'd love to own a python,but as someone advising new people about the world of revolvers you might want to revisit the K frame models. I've owned more than one; one that I got 2nd hand I had to replace the ejector rod, but this was cheap, and would not have given me any trouble in a defensive situation where I needed more than six shots and there are very few situations that I hope I might ever run into that require more than one (well, hopefully zero!) My favorite is the 686! So, three hits in the vitals with a 125g non plus p .38 special has a higher cumulative stopping power than 1 hit 1 with a 158g +P .357 in the vitals.-It is a seriously scary thought that there are subsets of American society that think being intellectual . guns & Close in its a much safer bet, where the rifle is pure dynamite. Out of 6-pound Marlin 1894 or 8-pound Henry Big Boy, recoil is a mere suggestion of what it is out of a 6-inch barreled revolver. For protection I carry a S&W model 65 with a 3" barrel. Proven. 1. Some private citizens still use K Frames for self-defense, target shooting, and hunting, but theyre pretty obsolete. and hunt with a 8" Dan Wesson. These Are the 5 Best .357 Magnum Guns Made by Man No worries, fill your guns cylinder with some .38 Special or .38 +P and, voila! i wondered why he did put the 327 performance center on here 627 comes in and the performance center also. outdoes other pistol calibers in a long gun: Shootability Performance Economy Availability Versatility Utility Pistol-caliber carbines and rifles generally get a bad rap. Is the 357 Magnum powerful? - Safehubcollective.org Shes a beauty and she cooks! With 9mm there's barely any detectable recoil. and have never had a problem with any of them. I own 4 357s, SW Model 19- SW Model 686+1, SW Model 586 Distinguished Combat Magnum and a Model 66. There are three revolvers types in this series Chiefs Special, original Bodyguard, and the Centennial. What are your favorite models? Powerful. The FBI, though, took notice. The new cartridge proved powerful. For a small person, it fits me like a glove and is a beast that with the right ammo can do any kind of shooting you want to do.